Her Shining Paladin
by bluecatcinema
Summary: Celestia is the beloved ruler of her subjects. But she is lonely, her heart aching for companionship. When a mysterious pegasus crashes outside the castle, it seems Celestia may have what her heart yearns for... (Story idea, OCs and cover image courtesy of Shen's General.)


**Her Shining Paladin**

**Chapter One: The Lonely Princess**

It was late afternoon in Canterlot, capital city of Equestria. Princess Celestia stood on the castle balcony, gazing at nothing in particular. It was a peaceful time for Equestria; There were no active threats, and it's inhabitants were safe, happy and prosperous. All was well.

...And yet, there was a strange empty feeling burning in the back of Celestia's mind. Though she was most beloved by her subjects, they had still placed her above them, on a pedestal none would dare approach. For all her years of ruling Equestria, Celestia had interacted with many of her subjects on a professional level, but had engaged in closer, more personal encounters with so few of them. Meanwhile, her niece, Princess Cadance, had found companionship and parenthood with Shining Armor. Her former student, Princess Twilight Sparkle, had also discovered love, and raised a family with the stallion of her dreams. Even her own sister, Princess Luna, who had once felt shunned and ignored by the populace of Equestria, had forged a steady relationship with a unicorn named Gothic, to the point of a marriage of their own. Though she was happy for them, Celestia secretly envied her fellow princesses, for they had done something she had never accomplished: They had found love.

"Sister?" Luna asked as she trotted onto the balcony. "Is something wrong? It isn't like you to be so lost in thought."

"It's... nothing, Luna." Celestia sighed.

"Really?" Luna smiled wryly. "I find it hard to believe that 'nothing' could so utterly capture you interest."

Celestia smiled indulgently.

"You know you can tell me anything, big sister." Luna told her.

"I know." Celestia nodded. "And I will."

"Perhaps you should tell me inside." Luna pointed out a group of dark clouds on the horizon. "A storm is coming."

"Of course." Celestia agreed. "Follow me."

The sisters retreated inside the palace, Celestia leading Luna to her personal bedchamber. Once there, she opened a drawer in her bedside dresser, taking out a pile of letters and photographs, all from Twilight and her friends.

"Feast your eyes, little sister." Celestia passed them over with her magic.

Luna examined them. They all contained the same subject matter: The letters spoke of relationships and weddings, and the photos were of happy couples and their families.

"I... don't understand, sister." Luna frowned. "These letters and photographs tell of love, family, and the happiness that follows."

"Exactly." Celestia nodded.

"Then, what is the matter?" Luna asked, confused.

"I have lived for over a thousand years, Luna, and not once have I ever felt the warmth of true love within my heart." Celestia sighed. "Yet, so many of our subjects have felt it. My former student Twilight has felt it. Our niece Cadance has felt it. Even you, little sister, have experienced it through Gothic. But I have not."

"I see." Luna nodded. "And you wish you _could_ experience it, am I right?"

"Yes, I do." Celestia hung her head. "But it doesn't seem very likely. I am so utterly venerated by our subjects, after all. They consider me above such things. To them, I am the perfect example of royalty, and beyond such feelings. Beyond the yearnings of my heart. And besides, it's not as if I could just go out and join a dating service, is it? I fear the mere fact that I am princess of the sun would serve as a deterrent to any possible suitors, or worse, attract undesirable ones, who only seek to be with me for status, or power. No, I can only imagine what it must feel like, to be held by another, in the throes of infatuation."

"Don't despair, Celestia." Luna comforted her. "If there's one thing meeting Gothic has taught me, it is that love is unpredictable, and most often comes when least expected. Who knows? Perhaps the perfect stallion for you could appear this very night."

"Thank you, Luna." Celestia chuckled. "But I don't think I'll be holding my breath anytime soon."

Outside the castle, the storm was well underway. Torrential rain and gale force winds battered the landscape. Most ponies were indoors by now, but one had been on his way to Canterlot when the storm hit, and had gotten the worst of it. Any other stallion would have turned back, but this one was not to be deterred. The white coated, black maned Pegasus stallion struggled against the weather, flapping his wings as hard as he could, struggling to stay aloft.

"Gotta... get... to... Canterlot..." He strained, one hoof pressed tightly against the heart-shaped locket hanging around his neck, protecting it from the elements at all costs. "Almost... there..."

Just as Canterlot came into sight, the wind picked up again. The increased gale forces proved to be too much for the stallion's already overtaxed wings; He was blown off course, and into a downward spiral. Spotting a spinning patch of green on the periphery of his vision, the stallion used what little control he had over his flight path to steer himself there, affording him the softest landing possible.

He hit the ground at an angle, cleaving a muddy trench into the grass. He struggled to stand.

"Oh... my head..." He moaned, lightly grasping his forehead with one of his hooves.

A squadron of armored ponies suddenly surrounded him, holding up their spears at the Pegasus.

"Halt! State your business here!" One of them yelled.

"Are you friend or foe?!" Another barked.

"Oh... right..." The exhausted stallion groaned, as he was about to address them, "Look, I am here..." Suddenly, his vision started to blur, as his already-wobbly stature grew more woozy, "I am here..."

The stallion groaned as he collapsed face first into the mud, leaving the guards standing, looks of confusion etched on their faces.

"I think we should get help." One guard suggested.

**To Be Continued...**

_(My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and all associated characters are the property of Hasbro.)_


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